and watched him unbolt the door. If she truly took him, eventually, like every one of her people, he would soon realise he was no longer bound by the rules of the land.
Mr Holtzrichter stood outside the barn, the rain rinsing the powder from his hair down his face. He glanced at Hareton, who looked to the ground, his face flustered, and then at Isobel who merely smiled at him. “I see,” he said with a curt nod. “Miss Shelley, a moment of your time if you please.”
“Of course, sir,” she said, falling back into her public role, and stepped out of the stable. As she passed him she noticed Holtzrichter give Hareton a lopsided grin of apology.
“Do peg the pardon of a gentleman for taking one so young off the high ropes.”
The younger man clearly did not know how to respond. So he stepped back further into the stable, and turned back to the horse.
*
“It is good you have someone,” Holtzrichter said as he closed the door behind him. Isobel stopped by the table, waiting for him to elaborate. “Later,” Holtzrichter said, with a wave of a hand. “We shall return to that in a moment, but first these.” He indicated the parchment. “I would like to take them to Lyon and study them further, if you have no further need of them?”
Isobel shrugged. She recognised that glint in Holtzrichter’s eyes, and was reminded for a moment of the vacant look in Edward Lomax’s own eyes. Obsession. She did not know why the parchment interested Holtzrichter so, nor did she really care. “If you so wish. Now, may we return to the reason for your visit?”
“Of course, dear lady,” Holtzrichter said, tucking the parchment into one of his Hessian boots. “As you know our people have lived in disarray, with no rules or…”
“I do know, so if you would care to…”
“Of course.” Holtzrichter smiled, and it was one born of both surprise and respect. “Celeste fears that war is coming soon to the human world, a war at the heart of which France will reside. Over the centuries our people have spent too much time involving themselves in such things, and if we’re to move ahead into civilisation, then we can not allow such distractions any more. It was such involvement that allowed the Brotherhood to get the foothold they did.”
“How does the Lady Celeste propose to stop this from happening again? It is human nature to involve themselves in things that do not concern them. A trait our people have yet to grow out of.”
“Agreed, which is why they need strong leadership. People who will show them. Eventually we shall become one with this world again, walk side by side with humans, unseen and unsuspected for what we are. But it will take time and effort, and strong leaders. The Three are creating the domains, sections of the world lead by a council of Lords and Ladies, with clear directives. Celeste would like you to become Lady Isobel, of the Great Britain Domain.”
Isobel just stared at Holtzrichter. “Me? I have told you, I like to remain…”
“Unnoticed. Yes, but you also told me why you opposed the Brotherhood, that you believe in the ideals that the Three represent. If our people are to emerge from the shackles of myth and legend then we need people like you to show them how.” Holtzrichter regarded her, and pulled a small piece of rolled-up parchment from his jacket. He placed it on the table. “An invitation to attend the first meeting of the Domain Council. If you choose to accept this position, then the Three look forward to your attendance.”
Holtzrichter stepped towards Isobel and took her hand, which he kissed gently. “Now I take my leave of you, My Lady, and I thank you for your hospitality.” He turned to leave, then looked back. “One further thing. If you choose to accept this new position, then you will need someone who can support you…in all ways. I believe Mr Wesley would be parti for you, and I do not see the Three opposing such a thing. In fact they would encourage it.”
With
Mr Holtzrichter stood outside the barn, the rain rinsing the powder from his hair down his face. He glanced at Hareton, who looked to the ground, his face flustered, and then at Isobel who merely smiled at him. “I see,” he said with a curt nod. “Miss Shelley, a moment of your time if you please.”
“Of course, sir,” she said, falling back into her public role, and stepped out of the stable. As she passed him she noticed Holtzrichter give Hareton a lopsided grin of apology.
“Do peg the pardon of a gentleman for taking one so young off the high ropes.”
The younger man clearly did not know how to respond. So he stepped back further into the stable, and turned back to the horse.
*
“It is good you have someone,” Holtzrichter said as he closed the door behind him. Isobel stopped by the table, waiting for him to elaborate. “Later,” Holtzrichter said, with a wave of a hand. “We shall return to that in a moment, but first these.” He indicated the parchment. “I would like to take them to Lyon and study them further, if you have no further need of them?”
Isobel shrugged. She recognised that glint in Holtzrichter’s eyes, and was reminded for a moment of the vacant look in Edward Lomax’s own eyes. Obsession. She did not know why the parchment interested Holtzrichter so, nor did she really care. “If you so wish. Now, may we return to the reason for your visit?”
“Of course, dear lady,” Holtzrichter said, tucking the parchment into one of his Hessian boots. “As you know our people have lived in disarray, with no rules or…”
“I do know, so if you would care to…”
“Of course.” Holtzrichter smiled, and it was one born of both surprise and respect. “Celeste fears that war is coming soon to the human world, a war at the heart of which France will reside. Over the centuries our people have spent too much time involving themselves in such things, and if we’re to move ahead into civilisation, then we can not allow such distractions any more. It was such involvement that allowed the Brotherhood to get the foothold they did.”
“How does the Lady Celeste propose to stop this from happening again? It is human nature to involve themselves in things that do not concern them. A trait our people have yet to grow out of.”
“Agreed, which is why they need strong leadership. People who will show them. Eventually we shall become one with this world again, walk side by side with humans, unseen and unsuspected for what we are. But it will take time and effort, and strong leaders. The Three are creating the domains, sections of the world lead by a council of Lords and Ladies, with clear directives. Celeste would like you to become Lady Isobel, of the Great Britain Domain.”
Isobel just stared at Holtzrichter. “Me? I have told you, I like to remain…”
“Unnoticed. Yes, but you also told me why you opposed the Brotherhood, that you believe in the ideals that the Three represent. If our people are to emerge from the shackles of myth and legend then we need people like you to show them how.” Holtzrichter regarded her, and pulled a small piece of rolled-up parchment from his jacket. He placed it on the table. “An invitation to attend the first meeting of the Domain Council. If you choose to accept this position, then the Three look forward to your attendance.”
Holtzrichter stepped towards Isobel and took her hand, which he kissed gently. “Now I take my leave of you, My Lady, and I thank you for your hospitality.” He turned to leave, then looked back. “One further thing. If you choose to accept this new position, then you will need someone who can support you…in all ways. I believe Mr Wesley would be parti for you, and I do not see the Three opposing such a thing. In fact they would encourage it.”
With
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